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>>Start with your provencial leaders and neighbors. Organize. Get the changes you need to make development tools cheaper - or (my preference), compete and offer the world another [better] option. Don't waste time looking back or lamenting the issue!
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>I can understand what are you hinting at :)

Don't start reading between the lines on me! Don't lay your European sensitivities on me:-) Now I feel bad for sounding like an obnoxious Yankee! I am, of course (obnoxious), but I don't like feeling bad about it:-)

Some of us in the states are independent contractors. Customers like that because they just have one bill to pay (no health insurance or social security or unemployment insurance). An independents job is to get fired. You deliver the project and then you're fired. Hopefully, some follow-up work and we get to work in a variety of industries. Very Risky work! It always helps to understand bookkeeping (and accounting) systems and rules. Automating bookkeeping tasks is a big part of custom projects I have the fortune to enjoy. It always helps to have flow charting skills. It's the only basis to determine a price and delivery schedule. This is how a prospective niche market might be isolated. If the developer is writing a system, it means that a useable system is not available. A market - maybe!

Now, you tell me about Russia - do you have job boards where you can search for work? Do you have independent developers? Can you set up a company and get funding?

Do you see yourself selling development services, or do you have an idea for a product? ARe there any success stories you can share about other engineers or startups?